Design of cold-formed steel members - comparison of EN 1993-1-3 and Direct Strength Method

This paper compares the design concepts for cold-formed steel members according to the European standard EN 1993-1-3 [22] and the Direct Strength Method (DSM) according to Appendix 1 of the AISI specification [3]. References to where the two approaches are described are followed by comparative analyses focusing on the fundamental design concepts, the design procedure, strength curves, opportunities and limits to their application. The paper points out similarities and differences, difficulties and opportunities. Channel section design examples are used to compare the different approaches. Current and ongoing research to extend the standards is summarized to show the future possibilities.